Mermaids and Murder
by Alwaysdreaming2B
Summary: Castle and Beckett find themselves crossing the country in search of the killer of a "Green Minded Mermaid." Adventure, romance and dissonance ensue in this fluffy and a bit smutty story.
1. Chapter 1

She stood at the murder board arms crossed, marker in hand tapping it against her bottom lip. Castle sat on the edge of Beckett's desk watching her. He always watched her. The way she stood, her back straight, hair cascading down her long beautiful neck, wisps of chestnut colored curls tangling along the way. He watched how she would sway very slowly back and forth lost in contemplation. He loved catching heart-stopping glimpses of her breasts rising and falling with each breath. He wasn't certain though if it was the arching of her eyebrows, the twinkling of her eyes or the slight curve of the ends of her mouth lifting upwards that he adored the most. She was it, his everything.

"Castle" Beckett repeated harshly for the second time, finally pulling him from his intoxicating trance. Busted, yet ever the wordsmith he was able to conjure a quick and reasonable response. However, Beckett was pretty sure she knew where his mind had been. In fact she surmised hers was probably in the same place.

"Castle, would you like to enlighten me with one of your crazy theories, cause quite frankly I've got nothing." She asked laced with a flirty tone, just the tone that caused his breathing to quicken. "Victim of a mad scientist's cross-species genetic mutation experiment gone awry? Ooh or maybe an extraterrestrial escaping her planet's emanate demise by fleeing in her travel pod but sadly ending up in the used grease container of a local fast food chain."

Beckett rolled her eyes but smiled at the same time. God, how she loved him. He could infuriate her, exasperate her and make her laugh all within a few moments. "Castle, that's the best you've got, aliens and mutants? We are never going to get out of here tonight" pausing for only a moment, then she lowered her voice to a whisper for effect and hoping to motivate him, "And I really want to go home…with you…tonight" Castle's head whipped to hers as fast as lightning strikes a tree, raised his fist to his mouth, scrunched up his eyes and answered with irritation in his voice, "Damn, I've got nothing."

Espo walked up as Beckett rubbed her hand across her forehead in frustration. "Hey, I just got a hit on that strange car the vic had at the crime scene." Kate looked hopeful at Espo and asked, "What is it? Anything good?" "Apparently it is an experimental grease car that operates on new or used oil." Beckett turned back to the murder board and wrote under the picture of the oil vat the victim was found in, "Grease Car." Castle mused, "Huh, what do you know a real green alien." Beckett turned back to Castle narrowing her eyes, silently admonishing his pun, all the while wanting to grab him and bite his lower lip.

"Espo, any idea where the car was manufactured or who the owner is?" Ryan walked up behind Espo and chimed in, "The plate indicates the car was registered to a George Goodwin from a place called Weeki Wachee, Florida." Espo turned to Ryan and asked skeptically, "Really dude is that an actual place?" Castle's face lit up with excitement "Did you say Weeki Wachee?" Ryan looked back at his note pad and nodded his head up and down. Castle stood up, his body dancing with glee and practically shouted, "I know who the murderer is." Beckett turned her head jutting her chin down looking at him in disbelief and said, "Oh great I can't wait to hear this." Castle gave her a big smile and replied, "The murderer is a mermaid." All three of the detectives looked directly at Castle and couldn't help but laugh. "Castle, you have hit an all time low, even I am embarrassed for you." Ryan stated sympathetically. "What you ran out of three letter organization cover ups to pin murders on now you are resorting to imaginary sea creatures?" Espo quipped. "Guys would just listen to me? The mermaids are real, in fact I got to know one quite intimate...ly" Castle's voice trailed off when he saw Beckett give him a "Watch it, Mr." look. Ryan intrigued by Castle's mermaid story asked, "Castle you dated a mermaid?" "Well I am not really certain I would call it dated, it was more like we splashed around in her cold water springs. Beckett became annoyed. Her mood quickly shifting to "Irritated as hell." "Castle enough with fictitious stories. Can we please get serious I'd like to go home before midnight." Castle said, "I am being serious. Weeki Wachee is a real city. It's home to a mermaid show. I took Alexis there when she was seven. She was going through this sea life phase, wanting to be a mermaid" Beckett interrupted, "Huh um." "We found this place on the internet so I took her there for her Spring Break. She got to dress up as a mermaid. She looked so cute in her little flippers. Then I paid extra for the deluxe package and they taught us how they perform in their under water show." Beckett interrupted trying not to sound to exasperated, "Castle I realize this is a sweet trip down memory lane for you but what does this have to do with our vic?" "I was just getting to that. If you look here at the picture what do you see?" Beckett turned to look closely at the picture of the vic hanging on the board. Castle eyes lit up as he saw those sweet edges of Beckett's red lips begin to turn upward into a smile. On the inside of the vic's forearm was a small tattoo of a mermaid, with the letters WW underneath. "Well that might explain her webbed toes." Ryan stated with a grimace. Beckett turned to Ryan and said, "Ryan, first thing in the morning I want you to see if you can find out anything about Mr. Goodwin, he maybe associated with our vic. Espo would you check in with Lainie see if she has found the cause of death? Castle and I will look into his mermaid theory." Castle raised his eyebrows in delight catching Beckett's glance. He was more than happy to chase down mermaids with Beckett. Perhaps she would even be interested in learning everything he knew about mermaids in his large bathtub.

The boys said their good nights and headed toward the elevator. Beckett straightened out her desk while Castle picked up her coat and held it for her as she slipped into it. She turned to him pleased that they had somewhere to start with this case, thrilled that they were going to be able to leave the precinct for the first time in over a week not exhausted. The bull pen was empty, they were the last to leave. Castle looked around making sure it was just the two of them. He pulled Beckett in close to him as he began buttoning her coat. She loved how he relished the opportunity to fawn over her. She wasn't about to admit it but he knew she enjoyed it. There were so many things that they did for one another that expressed their intense love without ever being spoken or even acknowledge. Four and half years together working as partners, becoming friends and then lovers paved a road of synchronicity. Their road traveled only by their flirtations, banter, theory, tears, fights and endless nights of lovemaking. As Castle buttoned the last button on her Dolce and Gabbanna brushed wool-twill trench coat, he reached around her waist grabbing her belt and tied it into a knot. He slide his hands up the front of her coat over her breasts, slipping his fingers into the epaulettes on her shoulders. He clasped his fingers closed while pulling her in for a chaste kiss. Kate was mesmerized by his attention to detail. Her body tingled as his hands lifted each button slipping it through its intended slant. She closed her eyes breathing in his scent. She needed to get out of the precinct, out of their clothes into their bed. However, letting him put clothes on her at the moment felt more delicious than removing them. Kate licked her bottom lip as Castle pulled away, trying to taste more of him to hold her off until they were home. Castle reached for her hand, twinning their fingers together. They left the bull pen together, both with visions of mermaids swimming in their heads.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything! Love too though!**

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"I am not going to let you bind my legs in plastic wrap to make them into a flipper!" Beckett replied with a chortle as she walked through the door into the loft. "Ah, but think of how much fun it would be for me to unwrap you?" Castle pleaded with his puppy dog eyes following closely behind her while wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her back into him. She was pressed against him as he tried to persuade her with his lips nibbling along her neck. Beckett let her body completely relax. "Yeah but where's the fun for me?" She tilted her head back onto his shoulder granting him access to her whole neck. In fact she was ready to grant him access to any part of her he wanted, as long as it didn't include her wearing a flipper. In his best sexy voice he whispered, "I promise to make it worth your while." Beckett giggled at his words. She could feel Castle's lips turning into a smile as he asked, "What's so funny?" She replied sweetly without a trace of her usual sarcastic undertone, "You, my sweet love." As soon as the words left her lips she tried to reel them back into her mouth. Panic began to sweep through her body. Maybe if she just stood there and pretended that she hadn't said the word "love" he wouldn't notice, maybe he didn't hear her. What was she thinking of course he noticed, of course he heard her. He noticed everything. He was a writer, his mind was wired to observe. He had been observing her for four and a half years.

What did Kate Beckett just say? I know I heard her, I wasn't mistaken. She called me her sweet love? It wasn't exactly "I love you" but the word love was definitely in that sentence. He could feel her body still against him. His heart began to falter as he waited for her to take those three lovely words back. He was speechless, definitely a first for him. He wasn't sure what to say. He didn't want to ruin the moment, make her regret it. He decided to try and ignore it. Pretend she didn't say it. He knew she had, that's all that counted right? He continued kissing her, moving his lips to her earlobe. Ah, one of his favorite spots to lavish with his tongue. He knew it drove her crazy when he bit down softly on that supple lobe. She couldn't help but moan every time. "Beckett I think it's time to get you out of this coat." He reached for her belt quickly untying it.

I cannot believe he hasn't said anything, she thought, sounding irked in her mind.

He began unbuttoning the same buttons he had so slowly buttoned at the precinct. She was still not moving. When he had undone the last button he slid her coat off her body then tossed it onto the nearby chair. He turned her toward him, so they were facing one another, although her eyes were downcast.

She quickly tried to hide her face in the nape of his neck, feeling awkward and exposed because of her words, the words that had slipped out without forethought. They had just escaped, rolling off her tongue jumping into the air. Maybe he was going to let her comment slide? She hadn't actually said, "I love you." She felt him slip his hands in between their bodies, using his nimble fingers to unbutton her shirt. She began nipping at his jaw following along with her tongue. She let him slip the fabric off her shoulders, removing it quickly before dropping it onto the floor.

His hands went straight for her breasts, gliding over the silky fabric of her bra, stopping to toy with her hardening nipple. Her breathing quickened as her arousal increased. She raised her arms and placed them around his neck. Fingering the soft hair at the base of his neck.

He was her sweet love. She believed it with her whole heart. He had always done whatever he could to make her life easier. The endless cups of coffee, flowers when her heart was breaking, upgraded airplane tickets and hotel rooms, he made her laugh, he tried to protect her, she rolled her eyes thinking of all the times he naïvely attempted to protect her, her the cop, from bullets and bad guys. She didn't fully understand why it was so difficult for her to just say how much she loved him. They were just words after all. She loved his hands, God, his incredible hands, his mouth, his delicious mouth, his heart. She did love him and she need to tell him. She couldn't hold it in any longer. Her head was beginning to spin, her brain swirling, caught somewhere between desire and love. She grabbed his hands, and pulled them away from her breasts.

He was startled. Oh, no here it comes he thought. She is going to pull away and stack up those bricks, one by one. He bowed his head. He couldn't be angry because he truly knew she loved him. It was just her fragile heart that had so many splintered shards that were yet to heal. He tried to hide the disappointment in his eyes as he looked into hers. He stood still like a deer in headlights waiting for her to make up an excuse or worse yet for her to utter her denial. It was coming he felt it. He knew it. He wanted her to just say it, get it over with so they could leave it behind.

She took his hands bringing them to her lips, her gorgeous soft lips. She placed a tender kissing on the pad of his thumb and said, "I love your thumb and the way that it touches my nipple shooting electricity throughout my body. She moved to his fingers kissing each one and said, "I love your fingers and the way they make me come undone." She kissed along his forearm all the way to his elbow and whispered, "I love your arms and the way they hold me trying to protect me from all that is out of my control, including myself at times. She kissed his elbow, then looked up into his extraordinary blue eyes, I love your funny bone and they way you make me laugh, all of your crazy theories, mermaids included.

He was almost breathless but he held on to all the air he could. Breathing in tiny puffs silently through his nostrils. At that moment he didn't care if he ever breathed again because Kate was giving herself away to him. Something he only dreamed would ever be possible.

She reached up placing her hands on his face while kissing his mouth she whispered, "I love your mouth and every word you have ever spoken good or bad because they have all led us to this moment. She kissed him again then slowly moved her hands to his shirt unbuttoning it slowly, then pushing the fabric to the sides. She laid her cheek flush against his chest. She placed her lips on the flesh covering his heart and kissed him softly. "I love your heart the most because no matter what I said or did you never stopped loving me."

His body was electrified. Her touch, her words were more than he allowed himself to believe would ever come to pass. He couldn't stand another second without consuming her. He placed one arm around her back and swept her legs up into his arms and carried her to his bedroom. His eyes were dark and intense reflecting an emotion he had never in his life ever felt before. The woman who he had worshipped from afar for so long, the woman who gave him his desire to write when he had lost his way, the woman who he had followed endlessly hour after hour only to be cast aside, the woman who saved his life and heart from emptiness and a lonely existence. That woman loved him and by God he loved her and was going to make certain she never forgot.

She felt him swoop her off the floor, catching her off guard. Dizzy she looked deep into his eyes. She couldn't hide her smile. She had said it. She did love him. He was her one and done. She reached up and stroked the hair that had tumbled along his eyebrow across his forehead. She reached her face up to his kissing the corner of his mouth.

He reached the bedroom and laid her gently on the bed. "Detective Beckett, my name is Richard Castle and I just want to let you know that I am in love with you and if you will let me I am going to spend the rest of my life showing you just how much."

She gasped, her breath stumbling in her throat. He had called her extraordinary once but she knew it was really he that was extraordinary. "Mr. Castle, I'd really like that." That was it for him. She had just pushed him over the edge. Until she said, "Oh, by the way I think there is some plastic wrap in the kitchen, in the drawer by the sink."

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**Thanks for reading and making my day, week and well, my life!**


	3. Chapter 3

They walked into the bullpen together, each holding a cup of coffee. This was the first time they had done this together since they had become a couple. Castle had expected to follow their usual routine, Kate leaving first, him following with a quick stop at the coffee shop and then meeting her at the precinct. However, he was surprised to find when, as they were leaving the loft that she had different plans.

He had pulled her in for a slow "I'll love you til the end of time kiss," goodbye, wanting to make certain that her "I love yous" from the night before had no where to run. He pulled away first because he realized if he didn't they would not be leaving the loft anytime soon. He kissed her again peppering her cheek with tiny little love bites and said with a sheepish grin, "See you at the precinct, and with extra emphasis, "My sweet love." She knew that that was not the last time she was ever going to hear that. In fact she was quite surprised it took him so long to actually repeat it. "Castle, don't push it" she said trying to hide her smile while looking serious. It was difficult though because hearing him say those words to her made her heart melt. Feigning innocence he quipped, "What ever do you mean Detective Beckett?" That's when she grabbed his hand and said, Come on let's go?" He looked at her quizzically and asked with a tone of surprise, "What? Are you coming with me to get coffee? That is sweet of you but you'll be late if we drink it at the coffee shop." Beckett looked at him and said, "Today, I want to get coffee and go to work together, with you." Castle couldn't even begin to hide is grin. It reached across his whole face. "What about Gates? She might see us arrive together?" Beckett looked up and said, "It just this once and she probably won't even notice." "You don't have to ask me twice." He took her hand as they left the loft together. It was a new day, and suddenly the world had never looked brighter.

They stepped off the elevator and headed into the bullpen. Beckett scanned the room looking for Gates, her earlier feeling of courage teetering a bit when the reality of her decision became real. She felt Castle's hand touch the small of her back guiding her toward her desk. She let out a small sigh of relief when she saw Gates was nowhere to be found as she sank into her chair. They were early enough that the boys had yet to arrive.

Castle took out his phone and began fiddling with an app, Beckett picked up the folder of their latest victim. She was trying to organize her paperwork in order to have everything ready to proceed as soon as she got the latest info from Ryan and Javi. Castle interrupted her thoughts, "Huh?" "What is it Castle? She asked without looking up from her file. "I googled the mermaid place and apparently it is closed for renovations. There is a number listed, I'll give it a try and see if anyone answers." Castle placed the call but it went straight to a voice mail. As he was trying to decide what their next step might be Ryan came up to greet them. "Good morning, Beckett" and with a nod, "Castle" Beckett looked up and said, "Hey Ryan did you find out anything on Mr. Goodwin?" Ryan smiled and said, "Actually I did. I spoke with his wife just a little bit ago. She said that he is some kind of entrepreneur that likes to dabble in environmentally friendly products. I guess he invested quite a chunk of change in this Grease Car business. He has 6 cars but one went missing about two weeks ago. Mrs. Goodwin said he'd be thrilled to know it had been found but she was perplexed as to how it ended up in New York." "Did you ask her if they might know the vic?" "Yeah, she said she didn't think so but that we would need to talk to Mr. Goodwin, except he is out trying to protect some sponges that people are diving for out in the Gulf of Mexico. He won't be back for a few days."

Captain Gates angered voice suddenly pierced into the room from around the corner. All three heads turned toward the direction of the shrill sound. "I don't care what you have to do to convince her but I am not going to go." There was a short pause then she said, "I realize that you are very busy, but so am I, and she is your mother for heaven sakes." Gates had just passed into the bullpen and saw the two detectives and Castle looking at her. She gave all three of them a death glare, lowered her voice and headed straight into her office, closing the door firmly. The three of them quickly tried to look busy avoiding her attention and trying to hide their grins. The elevator dinged and Javi strolled up to Beckett's desk. He could see they were up to something and asked, "What's up?" Ryan spoke, "Uh…Gates was just chewing out her husband and didn't realize we were here. He looked at Castle and said, "I would hate to be him, a crazy mother and incensed wife." Javi rolled his eyes at Ryan and said, "Your such a wuss." Then Gate's door opened and she yelled, "Mr. Esposito, I'd like to speak with you for a moment." He turned to go, flashing a, "What did I do look" in their direction." He crossed to Gates, answering with a subservient tone, "Yes, Captain?" Ryan sarcastically said under his breath, "Uh, who's the wuss now?" Gates looked at him and asked, "Detective Esposito I'd like to speak with you for a moment, come into my office." The two went into her office and she closed the door behind them. Ryan looked at Beckett then at Castle and asked, "What do you think she wants to talk to him about?" Irritated that he didn't know, and that as his partner she didn't ask to speak to him too. Castle trying to tease Ryan mused, "Maybe she is promoting him and giving him a new partner." Ryan shot a questioning glace at Castle and asked, "Did you two hear something?" Beckett chimed in, "Ryan don't worry he's just messin with you." Castle smiled patting Ryan on the arm and said, "Yeah, I am. Or am I?" Beckett turned her eyes to glare at Castle. Seeing her eyes darken he followed with, "Yeah, I am."

Beckett trying to get them to focus said, "Ryan, did Mrs. Goodwin mention who her husbands business partners were?" Ryan still running Castle's words through his head answered distractedly, "The name of the business is called Greasy Adventures. She gave me their number and told me to ask for a Vinny." Castle said, "Huh, the initial sound of that name made me think whu..uuhh, yuck, but upon further reflection a greasy adventure sounds like it has potential to be a bit of fun, might even be kind of kinky." Beckett then gave Castle his second glare in a matter of minutes then replied, "Ryan go look into Vinny and his Corporation" specifically avoiding using the actual name so as not to encourage Castle any further. The door to Gate's office opened and Javi strolled out. Beckett looked up and asked, "Everything ok Javi?" Javi looked at them and nodded followed by, "Yeah, she just gave me the ok to take next weekend off to go to my cousins wedding." Ryan looked relieved. Castle seeing Ryan's face relax said, "That's good. Ryan was worried you were asking for a different partner." Ryan turned to Castle rolled his eyes then looked back at Javi, "I was not. Castle said…" Javi glared at him and said, "Bro, I cannot believe you would think that I would do that." Beckett interrupted, "Alright, enough, we have a murder to solve." Ryan looking deflated turned obediently toward his desk and walked away. Castle and Javi smiled and gave one another a fist bump. Beckett just rolled her eyes. "Javi did you find out the COD from Lanie?" "I would like to say yes but Lanie was pretty swamped. She said since Perlmutter was off competing at some Bird Calling Contest she was backed up." Said she would call you in a bit." Castle asked, "Perlmutter a bird caller? Huh, guess that fits?" "Dude, don't ever get him started talking about those birds. He went on for 20 minutes about the Pigeon Guillemot's shrill. I mean seriously, it's a pigeon." Castle and Beckett both laughed. Castle raised his eyebrows and said, 'Perlmutter is an odd duck." Beckett should have rolled her eyes at him but she didn't. Instead she thought about him, Castle, her odd duck. She did love that odd duck. Trying to remain focused she asked, "Javi will you bring the manager in I want to talk to him." "Sure thing."

Beckett stood up. Feeling frustrated. They really hadn't gotten anywhere and she was getting impatient waiting for more meaningful information to come into their case. Ever in tune to her body Castle asked, "Something the matter?" She said, "No, I just need to move." She crossed to the murder board. It looked pretty bleak. She stared at it willing something to pop, to connect, helping her to figure a place to go. But she still had little to go on. She heard the tone in Ryan's voice elevate both in pitch and volume. She looked at him as he stood, then he moved up to her. She was hopeful that he would have some information to lead them forward. "Got something Ryan?" Ryan approached with his notepad. "Maybe. Vinny it turns out is Vinny Palmieri, originally from New Jersey. He retired from the "Family Buisness" and moved to Spring Hill, Florida. I guess it's pretty close to Weeki Wachee. He said, he was part owner in "Greasy Adventures." It seems he and Mr. Goodwin are neighbors and one night after too much to drink Mr. Goodwin decided to invest in Vinny's business. Anyway, he had no idea about the missing car and didn't seem to know anything about a woman matching the description of our vic."

Beckett added what little information they gathered to the board, her frustration in the lack of movement in the case clearly visible through her body language. Castle knew that Beckett's level of intensity often rose when she hit a roadblock. He had always been able to see that slight shift in her mood. It became a catalyst for his wild theories. The more out of sorts she was the wilder his theories became. It threw her off balance, made her laugh, loosened her up and helped her to clear her head. Beckett set the dry-erase marker back on the try, stepped back toward her desk and then said, "What the hell is going on here? A young woman, found upside down in a barrel of used frying oil at Fast Freddie's Burgers with a stolen eco-friendly car from Florida?"

Beckett's phone rang. She leaned across Castle to pick up the receiver while he took that opportunity to slide his hand across her back. She gave him a quick smile as she returned to her pervious position. Something neither of them would have done a few months ago. Those stolen moments, their simple exchange of touches had become impossible to resist. They tried very hard to restrain their affection for one another but sometimes their responses were unconscious reactions to their now intimate relationship. Their bodies were already connected and seemed to seek its missing part when they were not touching.

Kate answered the phone with her usual, "Beckett" waited a moment then asked hopefully, "Hey Lanie, do you have anything for me?" While Lanie spoke Beckett just nodded her head and replied with "Uh huhs." Finally after a minute Beckett answered, "Great. Thanks, Lanie, we will be right down."

Beckett and Castle entered the morgue where they found Lanie working on their victim. Lanie spoke first, "Thanks for coming down right away." Castle answered for them both, "No problem Lanie, so is she?" Lanie looked at him narrowing her eyes. She knew what he was asking. Javi had already filled her in on Castle's latest hair brain idea. However, she wasn't about to encourage him. "Is she what, Castle?" He lowered his voice and said, "A mermaid" Kate rolled her eyes, and Lanie looked irritated, "Javi told me that you said the murderer was a mermaid, now you think the victim is a mermaid. Castle she doesn't even have a flipper." Castle looked at Lanie very seriously and answered, "Of course she doesn't have a flipper, she's not in the water. Everyone knows a mermaid's flippers disappear when they are not in water." Beckett ignored him and asked Lanie, "So Lanie do you have a cause of death?" Lanie continued her glare on Castle as she crossed to the victim. She lifted the sheet to reveal a young woman, their victim, lost too soon to some senseless act of violence. "Our Jane Doe, was stabbed by something quite large. The weapon appears to have entered through her front and exited through the back. However it wasn't a clean enter and exit, it appears to have shredded everything around it, perhaps it was lodged and the back and forth action to remove the weapon caused the further damage. Whatever the reason, it was probably not a quick death."

Kate hated any murder but knife wounds that involved women affected her more than others. No matter how much time had passed since her own mother's murder she was always brought back to the thought of her mother bleeding out, alone in an alley. Kate shifted closer to the victim, taking a moment too look at her closely, a silent promise to the young woman that she would find the person that brought her to the end of her life.

Castle saw the flicker of hurt in Kate's eyes when Lanie said the word knife. He knew it was not the time to bring up frivolous ideas like mermaids. He may be a smartass but he wasn't a jackass.

Kate asked, "What do you think the weapon was? A sword?" Lanie gave Kate an unusual look and answered, "At first that's what I thought but take a look at this." Lanie held up a small evidence bag that contained what looked like a broken piece of a white bone." Castle asked, "What is that Lanie?" Lanie answered, "I asked myself the same question. I found it stuck to a piece of tissue still inside Jane. After analyzing it further it appears to be part bone and part cartilage." Beckett asked, "I take it, it is not from out victim?" Lanie answered, "You got that right. It isn't from any human victim. In fact it is a bone fragment from a large fish."

Castle's face lit up, he couldn't help himself he started to say, "Would that be a mer…" But Kate grabbed his nose then with the palm of her hand covered his mouth, gave him the eye and said, "Don't even…" He quickly cried out, "Apples, apples." She released him. Castle wiggled his nose and mouth and then because he had no self-control when it came to his imagination whispered, "Mermaid?"


End file.
